<article><p class="lead">The start-up of electric arc furnace steelmaker Steel Dynamics' (SDI) new Texas mill is delayed into the fourth quarter because of inclement weather.</p><p>The 3mn short ton/yr flat-rolled mill in Sinton, Texas, near the port city of Corpus Christi, will fire up its melt shop three to four weeks after initially planned, chief executive Mark Millett said. </p><p>The delay was brought on by recent heavy rain and subsequent flooding. </p><p>The hot strip mill was originally planned to turn on in September, and in April Millett expected the mill to produce 150,000-200,000st in the fourth quarter.</p><p>The mill's pre-paint and coating lines remain on schedule to start-up in July and August, respectively. </p><p>The delay adds to tightness in the US steel industry, with buyers struggling to find enough steel to match customer demand even as steel prices continue into record territory. </p><p>The <i>Argus</i> US Midwest hot-rolled coil (HRC) assessment rose to $1,785/st on 6 July, a 79pc increase from the beginning of the year. </p><p class="bylines">By Rye Druzin</p></article>
